Your child deserves dental care that will leave them smiling well after they become adults. Many younger patients are nervous around the dentist, but thanks to free nitrous oxide at every visit and Dr. Nguyen’s caring approach, your little ones will feel at ease while we treat their teeth and keep them safe from cavities. To learn more about our child-friendly services or to set up appointments for the youngest members of your family, get in touch with Legacy Dentistry today for children's dentistry in Midlothian, TX.
Children tend to develop several sucking habits. Some of them, such as breast or bottle-feeding, are nutritive and essential for growth. Non-nutritive habits like thumb-sucking, on the other hand, can be harmful for your child’s dental development if they last past their third birthday. We can help you identify and monitor non-nutritive habits, and when necessary, show you how to wean your children off them so that you can lower their risk of needing orthodontic treatment or a similar procedure.
It’s a good idea to schedule a child’s first dental visit around their first birthday, or as soon as their first tooth erupts. Even cavities in temporary baby teeth can be very painful and lead to long-term problems. We’ll check your little one’s teeth thoroughly and clean away any harmful bacteria or debris that has built up. Feel free to ask us about brushing techniques and other strategies you can use to optimize your child’s oral hygiene routine.
Is your child not able to reach all of their teeth with their toothbrush? For younger patients, the molars in the back of the mouth are the hardest to clean – and therefore the most likely place for a cavity to form. For patients between the ages of 5 and 14, we highly recommend dental sealants. We can simply apply a thin plastic coating to the appropriate teeth; that way, we can give the enamel an extra layer of protection against the bacteria that causes decay.
Sports are great for your child’s body, but they carry quite a bit of risk for their teeth. Even activities that don’t normally involve contact can still sometimes lead to a dental emergency. But by wearing a mouthguard, your child can keep their entire mouth safe from the worst of the damage. When made by a professional, an athletic mouthguard will fit neatly over the teeth, making it much more comfortable for your child to wear.
When a baby tooth develops a cavity or has been badly damaged, you might think the best option is to extract it; however, getting rid of baby teeth too early can make it difficult for your child to eat and speak, and their permanent teeth might not come in correctly. That’s why we instead offer NuSmile pediatric crowns. These beautiful restorations will help decrease the risk of further decay, and they’ll help the tooth function normally until the time comes for it to fall out on its own.
Even young teeth can become infected if bacteria make it past the protective enamel layer and reach the pulp. If your child has a toothache or could be in danger of losing permanent teeth, we can relieve the pain and prevent the worst of the damage with pulp therapy. Either part or all of the pulp will be removed and replaced with a biocompatible material to ensure that the inside of the tooth remains clean and healthy.